Just a Game?
by suallenparker
Summary: Mac and Stella stuck in an elevator. Twenty questions. Smacked-fluff
1. Chapter 1

**Just a game?**

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Spoiler: None

Raiting: T

Summary: Mac, Stella, elevator and 20 questions. Do the math!

Feedback: Please!

THANKS to lily moonlight for her wonderful beta-services.

**Part one**

With a sigh of exhaustion Mac closed his last file before he rose from his wheel chair in front of his desk, which which was nearly breaking under the weight of the many papers on it. It had been a long day in the lab this Tuesday. A _long_ day filled with hours and hours of annoying paper-work. All that reading, writing and correcting of reports had given him a headache. Growling he pressed his cool left hand against his forehead while he grabbed his coat from the coat hook on his way out of his office.

He had just pressed the elevator button as Stella caught up to him. His mood lightened up as he saw her cheery face.

"Hi Mac." she greeted him in her usual friendly way. "Heading home too?"

He nodded. "Yeah... I intended to grab some dinner and then go home to catch some sleep..."

"Sounds nice... How about you invite me to join you for dinner?" Stella replied with a smile while they both entered the lift to drive downwards. "I would allow you to pay for me..."

"How generous of you." Mac snorted but smiled too. "Why should I do something like that?"

"Because I was such a good cop today and helped you with your reports?" she suggested. The elevator doors closed behind them with a smooth 'Wush'.

"Hm..." Mac rubbed over his chin with his left hand, pretending to think about her words as the elevator started moving. Then he smiled at her. "Ok, consider yourself invited, _good cop_." She was right. This day she had been a good cop. It was worth it to her, that a cruel stalker, who had first tracked his former girlfriend and then had broken into her apartment to rape and kill her three weeks ago, was now arrested and probably would never get the chance to hurt any other woman again ever.

She smirked at him, a smart reply already on her tongue but an abrupt stop of the elevator left it stuck in her throat. "What the heck was that?" she demanded to know instead.

Frowning, Mac pressed a few buttons but the elevator remained still. "Seems like we´re stuck..." he uttered.

"Really?" Stella wondered in fake surprise. "Seems like I´m not the only good cop.." she teased him, then gave in into a giggle while she took out her cell to give Danny, who was still working at the lab, a call.

"Hi Danny." she greeted him as soon as he picked up. "Look, Mac and me are stuck in the elevator... Yeah, Danny, I said Mac and me... stuck in the elevator, right. Why is that funny? No, I want you to get us out of here as soon as possible? Why should I...?"

Mac watched Stella pull a face as she listened to Danny´s reply. Too bad, he couldn´t listen to it too...

"You´re such a kid, sometimes, Danny... " Shaking her head but grinning, Stella hung up on Danny. Noticing the curious look on Mac´s face, her grin brightened. " You don´t wanna know, trust me." she told him.

Ten minutes of waiting later, Stella let herself sink to the floor with a sigh. Mac frowned.

"What?" she looked at him.

"The floor...?"

She rolled her eyes. "I stood the whole day in the lab today, my legs are tired, so am I. And it might still take at least an hour till they rescue us. I don´t see any point in standing the whole time."

Sighing also, Mac sat next to her.

After a few minutes, Stella started to drum her fingers at the floor.

"Could you please stop that? This is distracting..."

"Distracting?" Stella chuckled, holding her fingers still. "Distracting from what?"

"Focusing." Mac answered her cryptically.

She snorted. "Focusing your gaze at the doors to burn a hole into the metal with your x-ray-eyes?"

"Haha."

They sat in silence for another ten minutes. Then Stella spoke up again. "I´m bored... Want to play twenty questions with me?"

Obviously lost in his own thoughts Mac made a small sound in the back of his throat, which could mean 'Yeah, why not' as much as 'Sorry, can´t hear you'

He turned his head, staring at her in disbelief. "Twenty questions? Are you serious?"

"Yeah." she shrugged her shoulders. "Why not? Could be fun!"

Mac looked at her in question. "Couldn´t you just ask me what you want to know?"

"No." Stella shook her head grinning. "You´re too uptight... "

A bit shocked, Mac took a deep breath. "I am NOT uptight!"

She snorted, placing one hand in her hip. "Tsk, You´re even so uptight, you wear ties all the time to keep the words in your throat from escaping you!"

"Excuse me?" Not believing his ears he stared at her.

The look on his face was priceless. Stella fought hard to suppress a smirk "Hm..." Pretending to be in deep thoughts, Stella tugged at Mac´s tie with her left hand. "Can you even breath with those around your throat?"

"Yes." Mac scowled.

'_Oh, he is so sweet when he is __flustered __like that_', Stella thought, trying to keep the stern look on her face.

"And only you´d know." Mac added eventually. "That was your first question. Nineteen questions left."

'_What?_' Stella´s eyes grew wide. "No fair!"

"Sure it´s fair." Mac replied, the smile of victory on his face. "It was a question, so it counts. Of course I wouldn´t demand it, if I wouldn´t be so uptight."

She arched a brow. "You´re enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Yes." Mac grinned satisfied. She should´ve known, that a smart man like him would´t let her mock him without some resistance... "Only eighteen questions now, Stella." he reminded her.

"Fine." Arrogantly Stella arched a brow at him. "If you want to play tough, we play tough. My next question is: " She made a little dramatic pause. Mac could see on the expression on her face that she wasn´t up to something good. Nervously he gulped before she continued...

Want more? Then please drop me a line to let me know!


	2. Chapter 2

**Part two**

Savoring the power she had to fluster Mac, who was obviously scared of her upcoming question, Stella licked her lips like a cat which had just recognized that the cream was all hers to take. "Who was the first girl you kissed?"

This time it was Mac's turn to arch a brow. "Are you serious? How old are we? Eleven?"

"Nah-na!" Stella shook her head. "Not your turn to ask, Mac." A mischievous smirk enlightened her eyes. "Answer my question!"

"Can I exchange this question for another one?"

"Nope." She shook her head again, still grinning. "Neither can you call a friend nor ask the audience nor use the fifty-fifty-joker."

Mac chuckled at her response. "Seriously?" he asked, trying to look crestfallen despite his smiling. "I would love to get Sid´s opinion on that question..."

This got Stella bursting out into a laugh. "Tempting idea, Mac Taylor... But maybe next time... Now stop playing for time and answer my question." she managed to answer after she calmed down again.

"Fine." Mac gave in, shrugging his shoulders. "If you are really that interested in my love life..."

"Oh yes, I am!" she threw in cheerfully.

"You are?" Startled, Mac looked at her watching her blush. Stella was interested in his love life? He felt his own face blush too. Damn it. Couldn´t he for once keep his cool in the presence of that woman? Now he sat here, having the perfect opportunity to get her back but his stupid heart raced in excitement, because of the flattering thought that this gorgeous woman beside him had said she was interested into his love life.

And obviously she hadn´t intended to admit it. Why would she blush then? And she did blush! Oh yeah, she did. And she looked so sweet right now. Her face was flushed and in her eyes he could see how hard she was trying to find an appropriate answer for him. Maybe she just deciding if she should tell him that she was interested, because she felt something for him? Could she...?

His heartbeat quickened, which annoyed him. How could something like that affect him so much? Maybe his earlier question was closer to the truth than he liked... He had definitely reacted like a foolish eleven year old in love...

Oh gosh, already the fact that something like that was enough to fluster him, was proof for his non-existent love life. He gulped uneasily once more. This time not waiting for her question, but for her answer.

"Uhm..." Stella spoke up, now unsure. '_Gosh_', he thought. '_She is so cute when she struggles with words... Not that this happens often..._' Stella cleared her throat. "This may surprise you, Mac. But..." She took a breath.

'_Yes...?_' Would she say it? Keen and filled with hope, he waited for her to continue...

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Thanks to lily moonlight for betaing and thank you all for reviewing so kindly!

And since we´re talking bout it: Some more reviews please? ;-P


	3. Chapter 3

**Part three**

Although her heart raced Stella was able to keep her face blank. Well, except for that damn flush which gave away her nervousness. That expectant – or was it hopeful even? - look on Macs face nearly took her breath away.

She tried a shaky smile before she arched a brow in a mocking gesture and continued speaking: "But I´m a woman, and like all women I´m a sucker for gossip."

Mac took a breath as her words sunk in. Was it just her imagination or did he look crestfallen?

"Oh." he simply answered, his face now controlled as hers, leaving her trying to decipher the meaning behind that word.

Stella hated answers like that. Causally they seemed to tell you absolutely nothing but they always left the bad aftertaste of lost subtext.

What should that mean? '_Oh.'_?

'_Oh._' as in '_Oh, you like gossip?_'

Or as in '_Oh, you girls talk about me?_'

Or was it maybe like '_Oh, you are just generally interested into gossip? I had hoped that you were especially interested in me, because I´m especially interested in __you and want to marry you and raise three wonderful kids together with you and-_'

'_Stella, stop it!_' she upbraided herself. _'You´re daydreaming. And what did we say about daydreaming of a perfect life with your boss while he is in the same room as__ you? Exactly: Don´t do that in any cause. It only leads to self embarrassment. And after all, I assume he meant something like 'Oh, you are a woman?'' _

The last thought elicited a cynical chuckle out of her which caused Mac to frown because he obviously didn´t understand her amusement.

_'See?_ _What did I say? Embarrassment._'

Shutting off her smart ass superego she decided it would be the best for her and her already humiliated self to change the subject. "You still owe me an answer to my question" she stated. The smile on her face was still a bit shaky at the edges.

"Uhm..." Mac cleared his throat. "What question?" His eyes filled with innocence he looked at her.

"Nah-nah..." This time Stella´s smirk was real as she shook her head. "Don´t try to play dumb with me, Mr. Taylor. I know that you know that I know that you never forgot what I´ve asked you. And I also know that _you_ wish that _I_ had forgotten about my question."

"Wow." he breathed out. "That was a confusing speech."

Her smirk deepened. "Answer my question, Mac."

"Fine." he gave up sighing. "The first girl I ever kissed was Megan. Megan Stevens."

"And?" Curious she watched him.

"And what?"

Stella chose her her words carefully, not wanting to waste one of the questions she had left. She had fallen for it once that was enough. "More information, please!"

"I answered your question, ask another." Mac only said, shrugging his shoulders but unable to suppress that self-righteous grin, which blossomed on his face fully.

"You´re mean."

"Nope." Now he didn´t even tried to hide his smirk. "I´m just uptight."

"Oh, you think you are so smart, don´t you?"

"I think that _you_ think that we both know that I do not only think that I´m smart but I actually am."

"Are you seriously mocking me, Mac Taylor?"

"Seriously mocking?" he repeated amusement shining in his eyes.

Stella arched a brow. That answered her question.

"Yes, I guess I am mocking you." Mac added beaming. "Only fifteen questions now."

Damn him, he tricked her again. Time for some revenge. Mac had enjoyed this game far too much for her liking. What she needed now was a real good question to put him back to the ground. But what should she ask him? All the questions she came up with like '_Would you date a subordinate_' or '_Mind, if I kiss you?_' would give away more about herself than the answers would tell her about Mac, she feared.

So what the heck should she ask him?

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Yeah, a cliffe again, I know I´m mean... Would it ease your pain, if I would tell you that I nearly finished the fourth part? ^-^

Thanks again to lily moonlight for betaing and to Maja for listening to my ideas so kindly and so full of patience ^-^. And thanks to you all for your kind reviews! They were a great encouragement! I would love to hear your thoughts on that one too (and yeah, there is again a little 'reviewers only'-smacked-scene waiting for you! And since I´m talking about it: What do you guys think about the idea of having 'reviewers only'-scenes?)


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you, lily moonlight for betaing this so great and so quickly. And thank you all for reviewing so much to this story!

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**Part four**

For a few minutes Stella just looked at him in silence. Mac shifted uneasily on the cold floor as her face suddenly light up. He didn´t like the expression on Stella´s face nor that certain sparkle in her eyes she always got when she just got a really good idea. _Good idea_ meant in that context: Bad – like _'I wish I __had never got __up this morning'_ bad – for him.

As Stella opened her mouth to let her newest idea to play with his sanity slip from her tongue, he tried to prepare himself as best he could, his eyes wide open, fearless facing the upcoming danger.

"Is there..." Stella finally spoke up just to make a little dramatic pause just to torture him before she continued: "...any woman you would like to kiss these days?"

Oh damn.

What should he answer to that question? '_I would like to kiss you right now_'? Great, now he was imaging himself kissing her. '_Very helpful, Mac. Thank you!_' Cursing himself, he closed his eyes for a second to pull his thoughts together. He needed a clear mind to come up with an answer which wouldn´t cost him his pride. Or worse: His best friend...

So what should he tell her without scaring her off? The truth? Or should he lie?

No lies. Mentally he shook his head. Stella would catch his lie within seconds, so lying was no option. Once again he settled for a simple: "Yes." That could mean almost everything. Much room for interpretation...

But once again Stella wasn´t satisfied with that simple answer and dug deeper: "Do I know her?"

Oh damn.

Again.

He needed to get her occupied with something other than his love life or – No, he would not even think about the possible 'Or'. Because he, Mac Taylor wouldn´t let it get so far to save them both for an emotional catastrophe! Ok, so much to his heroic ideals, now all he needed was an heroic plan...

Since they were still stuck in that stupid elevator distracting her with a juicy murder was not an option, so he decided to use his secret weapon. His humor. "I don´t know...Ever heard of Lisa Edelstein?"

"Ha-ha." she replied dryly. "I meant a woman who is within your reach."

He chuckled. "Are you trying to tell me in your sensitive way that I don´t stand a chance with Lisa?"

"You are really a smart guy!"

"Thank you."

"You´re welcome." She loved how light he was. Here, stuck with her in that damn elevator he seemed so... - Stella searched for the right word - so free, less haunted by his own sorrows that normally surrounded him like dark clouds stealing his sleep. Less stressed about closing his next case and all the paper work which always awaited him at his desk... Smiling at his playful mood, Stella shook her head slightly. "Now answer my question."

"I already did that." Mac shrugged his shoulders

"But I meant-"

"How should I know?" he cut in smirking, already knowing what she was about to say. "I´m smart but I´m not a telepath. You should confine your questions more."

"As you wish." Stella rolled her eyes but couldn´t suppress a giggle. "Is there a woman within your reach that you would like to kiss?"

Mac sighed at her determination with that subject. But did he truly believe he could distract her so easily? He should´ve known better from the start... Damn.

Skipping the inner-chat he already had before he simply answered "Yes." again.

"You do remember that Lisa is not an option, do you?" she teased him. Did she mention how much she enjoyed this?

"Yes I do, thanks for asking." he replied matter of factly then added with a satisfied smirk: "You just waste your twelfth question."

Stella bit down on her bottom lip. Damn, she really needed to pay more attention to her own words. Time to get back to the subject: "Do I know her?" she asked again.

"You really like gossip, don´t you?" Mac growled, helplessly throwing his hands in the air in capitulation.

She laughed at his sudden sense for drama. "Stop playing for time Mac. You just make me curious..." Her eyes sparkled delightedly. "And you know how I get when I´m curious."

"Unfortunately yes." he growled again.

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Feedback please?


	5. Chapter 5

Great thanks to lily moonlight for her beta services.

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**Part five **

The scratching sound of metal against metal which echoed in the small cabin of their lift made them both flinch. Just as suddenly something began to sing 'Kung Fu fighting' very loudly in Stella´s pocket, she nearly jumped up from the ground, which made Mac chuckle. Glaring at him, she took her chiming cell out of her pocket and stood up.

"Danny, you better tell me, you're going to get us out of here soon or..." she answered the call sternly. "And NO, Danny, I haven´t changed my mind..." Obviously annoyed, she shook her head.

Mac chuckled again as he saw that 'no bullshit' expression on his partners face. Being happy that Stella was focusing on Danny´s voice through her cell which saved him from answering her question at least for now, he took the opportunity to watch her for a while. It wasn´t often that he allowed himself to just look at her.

Mainly, because it was too dangerous. The risk of getting caught staring at her was far too high.

Because whenever he allowed himself to simply look at her - Just for a few moments of course! He would never neglect his duty. - He just wanted to catch a simple glimpse of her. To look at her beauty, to drink in her sight was to remind himself that in contrast to all that ugliness in the world, in his town beauty still existed. He lost track of time and what began as a short glance at his partner grew to staring at her.

If he was lucky, he came back to his senses without anybody noticing his short-time-retarded-state so he only had to deal with his own displeasure of his stupid teenage like behavior...

And if he hadn´t any luck, Stella caught him staring at her and normally asked him, if he was alright. Most times she suggested he should finally get some sleep again.

He always blushed then. Damn it, he was a grown man! How could it be that only the view of this particular woman was enough to turn him back into a foolish boy? His silly heart which always skipped a beat when she asked him sweetly about his well being with all that caring concern in her eyes always ashamed him even more.

But right now with her being so occupied with her chat to Danny Mac took the opportunity to look at her. He started the journey of his eyes with her hair which seemed so alive, the curls following every movement of her body before his gaze wandered to her face. He got lost in the study of her beautiful high cheek bones, her elegant long nose, he always wanted to kiss, and of course her gorgeous eyes. If her hair seemed to be full of life, her eyes surely were. Her energy, her spirit her strength was mirrored in her eyes like her figure reflected itself in the dim metal of the lift walls...

If she caught him this time staring at her, like she probably would, he could still say that since they were still stuck in that elevator he hadn´t anything else to look at instead... If he would really concentrate on his argument then, he could maybe for once make her buy his lie.

Fascinated, he noticed that subtle change in her eyes from the dark green of concentration to a lighter tone of surprise. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw her mouth forming words...

Actually she needed to say his name twice, before his ears finally got that information through to his Stella-drunken brain. "Mac?"

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Feedback anybody? Please?


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thanks to all of you for your great support in my last chapter and sorry for taking so long to update. Uni kept me pretty busy and left me no time for serious writing so this chapter is also a short one. Thanks also to lily moonlight who freed this little piece from all its grammar/spelling errors. You´re the greatest!

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**Part 6**

Trying to focus back on Stella´s words instead of just staring at her, Mac cleared his throat in the hope of clearing his mind as well.

Stella smiled brightly as his gaze finally met hers "Did you just stare at me, Mac Taylor?"

"No." he answered quickly, his voice sounding stern and confident even though his face was flushed.

Grinning, Stella arched a brow. "Now you´re lying."

"Am not."

Stella nearly chuckled at that defensive expression on his face. Of course he had stared at her! She always was aware of his eyes on her when he looked at her. That light shiver of excitement which had been running down her spine over the last few minutes always was a sure sign of' it. "Then you´re in denial." she countered amused.

"Did you hear that?" Mac tilted his head, perking up his ears.

"And now you´re deflecting..."

"Seriously, I heard something..."

Grinning, Stella shook her head. He really didn´t want to talk about that... Too bad that she was just in the right mood for a little teasing... Too bad for him! Her smirk widened. She gave him a compassionate look. "Is honesty really such a hard thing to do, Mac?"

Absently Mac listened to the quiet hushed sounds which seemed to come from underneath the elevator. "I think they are repairing the lift now..." he explained, still concentrating on the noise.

Another sudden twitch of the elevator made Stella flinch like she had at the first one. "Damn." she cursed silently.

Mac smirked as the lift started finally moving again. "By the way: Honestly was never hard for me to tell. I like telling the truth... Truth like: You just wasted your ninth question."

That gleeful smile of his made her want to hit him... or kiss him... Before Stella could delve into that thought further, the lift stopped then the doors opened, revealing another smug smirk behind it.

That other smug grin belonged to Danny who watched them with that trouble-causing sparkle in his eyes he always had before he did something totally annoying.

"Glad, you´re dressed." Danny greeted them.

Totally annoying, wasn´t it?

Stella shot him a glare while Mac just stared at him in confusion. Shaking her head, Stella stepped out the elevator, boxing Danny slightly against his shoulder as her only answer to his inappropriate question.

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A/N: Uhm, I haven´t written the reviewer´s only to this chapter by now so feel free to make a wish for it (what would you like as an extra this time?) and please notice also that it might take me a while to reply to possible reviews (I hope, I´ll receive some anyway xD) because I have to write the extra first!


	7. Chapter 7

**Part seven**

Ignoring Danny, Stella walked past him towards the exist without another word. Mac arched a brow at him, but he just grinned and went back to the lab. Mac wasn't sure what he should make out of this. Wasn't it rude to walk out on a superior when he had just asked you something? Granted, his question had been nonverbal but the "What the hell is going on here?"-subtext in Mac's look had been louder than words. Hadn't it?

The clicking of Stella's heels on the floor interrupted Mac's thinking. She was going. Without him! So he followed her. As for Danny... He would order him into his office first thing next morning and would make him talk. Or he could try to make Stella talk later this evening. After all, she wanted him to buy her dinner. And that would be exactly what he would do. And then he would turn the tables.

As she reached the front door, Mac caught up with her. "Where should we go for dinner now?", he asked and opened the door for her.

She smiled at him. "You're still hungry?"

"Being stuck in an elevator didn't change that, no."

"How about some Greek then?"

"I could use a little Greek...", he muttered.

"What?"

Exactly what he thought too. He couldn't believe he said that, but being the scientific driven man he was, he figured that it had been the plain proximity to Stella which had clouded his minds with adrenaline, endorphins and... stuff.

Fortunately for him, Stella's '_What_' had more '_Sorry, I didn't hear you_'-undertones in it than 'I can't believe you just said that and I will file for sexual harassment'-undertones, so the possibility was quite high that she really had not heard him before.

"Nothing?", he said trying to sound as unsuspicious as he could. "You just wasted two more questions." There, that would distract her.

Stella's face expression could only be described as shock, – His trick worked! – but quickly turned into something else, something far more dangerous. Victory.

"So we're still playing", she said finally, grinning brightly. "Come on, I know a Greek restaurant nearby and I have still nine questions left."

"Six", he corrected her. "You have only _six_ questions left."

"Damn, you're uptight."

Smirking, he adjusted his tie. "That's why we played that game after all. And Stella?"

She smiled too. "Yes?"

"When you're done, it's my turn."

"Now you're implying that _I'm_ uptight."

"No-"

"That wasn't a question, that was me stating an observation like the good cop I am, so don't even try to tell me, I just wasted another question." She almost made it through this sentences without bursting into a laugh. Almost.

Mac crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Done yet?"

She nodded smiling.

"All I'm saying is that I'll enjoy making you sweat."

Victory was once more on her face. "I made you sweat?"

Damn it, he knew he had said too much... Okay, what should he do now? If he answered correctly, she would tease him about it all night and if he would answer that question with a question in return, she would probably smack him or stare him down with her death glare. So all he could do without getting himself in trouble was nothing. He just continued walking next to her.

Eventually, Stella gave Mac a nudge. "Answer already!"

Mac mimicked surprise. "That was a question?" He was able to bluff criminals to get a conviction, he should be able to bluff Stella so as not to have to confess himself.

"Yes." Stella frowned at him, but the twitching corner of her mouth gave her away.

"Wasn't sure..." He shrugged. "Could've been another statement of yours."

"Funny. But I take it."

Now it was his turn to frown. "Take what?"

"Your point of view on that subject. I decided that it was a statement and so I still have eight questions left."

"Seven."

"We'll see about that."

* * *

Thanks to **lily moonlight** for betaing this piece so quickly. You're awesome!

And thanks to **you all** for reading this even though it took me so long to update. Thanks for not giving up on me and my stories. You're awesome. Just like **lily moonlight**. And who are we kidding? **Lily moonligh**t is awesome BIG time!  
As always, I would love to hear from you!

Greetings


	8. Chapter 8

**Part eight**

"You didn't answer my question", Stella said fifteen minutes later when they were sitting in a quiet corner of the Greek restaurant she had mentioned before.

Mac nodded gratefully at the middle-aged waitress as she placed their drinks in front of them on the wooden table. Stella had been right. This place really was nice. They had already ordered their food a few minutes ago, so their conversation about sharing an appetizer and which one they would share best and that there would be no way in hell that Mac would eat snails even if Stella swore that 'Chochli' were a delicacy in Greece had changed back to the game they started two hours ago.

"I answered all of your questions", he said.

"No you didn't." Stella sipped on her glass of red wine. "You still need to tell me, if I know the woman you're longing to kiss."

"I answered that." He sipped on his beer and glanced at her over the rim.

"No you didn't." She flipped her hair back.

God, she had beautiful hair, but he would not get distracted by her beauty again, no sir, this time he would pay attention to her words and answer her in a timely manner. "Yes I did."

"No." Her mouth twitched into a smile.

Her lips were beautiful as well. So full and soft and he wondered if they would taste like the wine she just drank or... '_Compose yourself, Mac! If she catches you staring at her one more time she will_–' He inhaled deeply. He didn't want to think about what she would do but he was sure it would lead to embarrassment for him. So instead of staring at her lips and thinking about consequences, he would answer her... in a timely manner. _"_Yes."

"No, you didn't." She tried to frown at him but her smile refused to leave her face. "Don't be childish, Mac."

"... says the woman who forced me to play twenty questions. Classy."

"Just the way I am." She shrugged. "Answer my question, Mac."

"I already did", he emphasized. "You asked if you would know her, meaning I couldn't help but recognize that you _do_ love gossip, then you told me to stop playing for time because that would only make you more curious and since we both know how you become if you are curious I answered 'unfortunately yes'."

"Wow." Her eyes widened.

"What's the matter now?" He felt a bit breathless. Because he had talked so fast, of course. Not because she was beautiful.

"You're such a smart ass," she stated, amused.

Staring into his beer he snorted. "Uptight, childish, smart ass. I'm quite a catch." He should order more beer, he decided. Stella's left hand touched his briefly and he looked up again.

"You're still paying for dinner?" she asked softly.

He missed the warmth of her hand on his. It was stupid. She had touched him so briefly... How pathetic was it to miss something he barely knew? Better not think about that but stick to the timely-manner-plan. "Yes."

"Quite a catch indeed." She smiled and her hand touched his again.

He suppressed a shudder. "And you just wasted another question. Just seven questions left now, Stella."

She smiled brightly. "You're the boss."

It was just that moment, that he realized he had granted her two more questions. "Damn it."

Stella just smirked at him.

For a few minutes they just sat there in silence, each one enjoying their drinks and each others company. He liked that about their relationship, that they both were that comfortable with each other that they could just enjoy the silence and let their minds wander... Her mind was presumably wandering to the next question she was going to torture him with.

Damn it again.

Scared of what would come next, he observed her. He did not stare at her. He observed her. And yes, there was a difference between the two. While staring at her, he wasn't able to think about anything else but how beautiful she was and how much he wanted to kiss her. Observing meant, he was able to actually form intelligent assumptions about what she would say next with those beautiful lips of hers and... She was so beautiful. He had formed intelligent assumptions about criminals all day and this was his free time and he should be allowed to simply stare and oh, she was beautiful.

A little wrinkle appeared between Stella's eyebrows, causing Mac to frown. Before he could ask what was wrong, the waitress came again and brought their appetizers: Tomatoes, zucchini, eggplants, some cheese. All things not too slimy. And for sure nothing which had called a shell 'home' before.

After the waitress was gone, Stella finally spoke up: "Do you miss her?"

"Yes", Mac answered without thinking, wishing her hand would still touch his.

Stella nodded shortly. "Must be hard for you to be so far away from her..." She put a tomato slice on her fork and brought it to her mouth.

That beautiful mouth. Mac watched her chew while his mind progressed her last sentence... Eventually: "I beg your pardon?"

What had she said? And even more important: What had he answered?

Fine, he had agreed with himself to answer in a timely manner. But what he meant was 'answering in a timely manner after thinking about what he would actually say'. Stupid. He placed a slice of eggplant in his mouth to prevent him from speaking without thinking again. Or from speaking at all for that matter.

Stella looked at him as she took some more tomatoes. "Peyton", she said, before she bit into the red vegetable.

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Thanks to the awesome **lily moonlight** for betaing this and for pointing out that I might have wanted to write snails instead of snarls at the beginning of this chapter. Thanks for saving me from this embarrassment!

And thanks to **all of you** for reading, alerting, favorite-ing and reviewing. You're the best! As always, I would love to hear from you.


	9. Chapter 9

**Part nine**

"Oh..." His eyes widened.

Peyton? Why were they suddenly talking about Peyton? How did that happen?

"No." Even in his own ears, his answer sounded a bit too rushed, a bit too eager. "I mean," he cleared his throat, "it´s not Peyton."

Stella put her fork down, the left corner of her mouth twitched. "So you´re over her?" she asked. "Over Peyton?"

"Yes." His answer came quickly again. He hadn't thought about Peyton for a long time. And he certainly didn't waste any thought on Peyton while he was with Stella.

"Did you love her?"

"I thought so..." Mac shrugged his shoulders. "I hoped so. I guess, I was more in love with the idea of finally belonging to someone again than actually with her."

Just after the words had slipped him, her little frown, her slightly lifted bow told him, he said too much. '_Belonging to someone…_' How lonely must've that sounded to her.

Mac looked at the plate and took a slice of eggplant.

_'Belonging to someone.'_ Stella looked at his hands, his left one was lying on the table, while his right one was in the air, bringing the fork with a piece of vegetable to his mouth. She wanted to be the woman he wanted to kiss. She belonged to him and he didn't even know.

For a few minutes they sat and ate. Only the clicking of their forks against the plate cut through the silence. The waitress came back to fetch the emptied plate, they both nodded at her gratefully and ordered new drinks. He hadn't even noticed he had drunk so much.

"Are you happy, Mac?" Stella asked after the waitress had left again, her eyes on his face.

"No. – Yes." Mac straightened up and shook his head. Such an easy question and yet he had no idea how he should answer it.

No, that was wrong. He knew exactly what he wanted to say. He wanted to say '_Yes, Stella. I'm happy, I'm whole, don't worry about me, I'm fine._' and he wanted her to believe him and he wanted it to be true.

But something about today, something about the game they played kept him from telling that polite lie on his first attempt. Maybe it had been her open face, her trust in him that made him share his truth to another person for the first time.

No, he wasn't happy. To be honest, most times he just felt nothing. He felt good about the work they did. As small as their victories sometimes may be, putting a killer behind bars instead of saving the lave he took. He loved his job. But was he happy? When he was with her, he felt alive and when she had laughed in the elevator while she had been taunting him, he had been happy. Maybe happiness wasn't a constant state to be in. And now…

He had caught the flash of concern on her face, the quick connection of her brows as the first syllable had slipped from him. So he had lied quickly to make her worries disappear. Of course that hadn't worked, she only seemed confused too. Time to distract her again.

He forced himself to smirk. "Could you make your question more specific"

Stella's brows connected again, but this time in a '_Don't-bullshit-me_'-manner. "It's a general question, Mac, how would I make it more specific?"

"Oh... " He faked surprise, then inhaled deeply before he continued: "Okay. Then I have to say: It depends."

"On what?" That '_Don't-bullshit-me_'-expression on her face intensified.

He shrugged his shoulders. "That's why I asked you to specify your question."

Stella's eyes became small. "I could kill you right now."

"But you won't." Chuckling, he leaned back in his chair. "Because I'm the boss of the best crime lab ever and they would catch you and put you behind bars." She thought he was just messing with her. She thought they were still playing the game.

"True." Her mouth twitched into a smile. "And also because I would have to pay for my dinner myself, if I murdered you right now."

He snorted. "Sweet."

"That reminds me of something." She leaned towards him. "Want to share dessert with me?"

"That's an easy question." He smirked. "Yes." Dessert would be nice. It would make his turn much sweeter. "One last question now, Stella." He smirked even more.

Only the waitress bringing their meals kept Stella from wiping that cocky smirk of his face.

He wanted to play dirty? Fine.

Stella smiled at the waitress as she placed her plate in front of her.

"You still haven't answered my question before that," she said, stealing a French fry from his plate.

Mac raised a brow as he watched his fry disappear into Stella's mouth. "I thought we were through with that."

"Not that question." Stella shook her head. "You didn't answer my _On-What?_-one. You were just stalling. Just like now."

"That's a mean way to put it."

"Sometimes the truth is cruel."Stella swallowed the fry before she forked up some of the vegetables on her own plate. Mousaka. Her favorite dish. "So your happiness depends on what, Mac?"

"Good question."

"Thank you." She rolled her eyes. If stalling was an Olympic discipline, he would win every medal. "Now answer it already."

Mac sighed, defeated. "I'm happy with my job. I love the work we do." He smiled at his words. But the smile didn't reach his eyes. "I could deal with less paperwork though."

Less paperwork… What would he do, if he couldn't hide behind his desk?

"And your personal life?" she asked. "Are you happy there?" Her voice trembled. But that's what happens if you dare to ask big questions. Sometimes you scare yourself with your own courage.

Looking lost in his own thoughts, Mac picked up a few fries and ate them.

Playing for time again.

Stella could've killed him. How could he make her wait when the outcome would be so important for the both of them.

Her heart skipped a beat.

But what if she didn't like his answer? What if the woman he wanted to kiss wasn't her?

Maybe she shouldn't have asked it in the first place.

But too late.

Mac swallowed. "I'm working on it," he said calmly. "My turn now." He sipped on his beer again.

That mean little weasel.

Stella gave him her best glare. "Well played, Mister." At least that, she had to respect.

"Thank you." Smirking at her brightly, he picked up his fork and knife and cut of a piece of his meat.

THE END

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A/N: Thanks for sticking with my story, even after such a long delay. Life happened, muse was lazy. The usual.

I hope you enjoyed the read and I'd love to hear from you!


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